


Another Night

by youdont_say



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Boys In Love, College au is small/vaguely mentioned, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:07:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29098533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youdont_say/pseuds/youdont_say
Summary: It’s become standard for Makoto to spend the night at Byakuya’s apartment, tonight being no different. Byakuya was usually good at keeping his emotions under wraps, but that becomes more difficult as the night goes on.
Relationships: Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya
Comments: 23
Kudos: 103





	Another Night

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! 💞
> 
> I wanted to thank everyone for leaving such lovely comments on my last fic, or any of my fics for that matter! I have no idea how to express how grateful I am for all of the wonderful people who read what I post. I’m thankful for everyone who’s left a comment, a kudos or even stumbled across one of my fics and decided to read it. Every single comment and kudos makes my heart flutter, thank you for always making my day with your kindness.
> 
> I hope you like this fic, I wanted to do something simple but timeless! I’ve always adored the ‘I’m in love with my best friend’ trope, and I wanted to write it here!

Byakuya couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the boy near the glass door to his balcony, sitting cross-legged on a chair that was merely for decoration. Maybe he was looking for longer than what was deemed as appropriate by most, but he couldn’t bring himself to care in that moment. The lights from the city below shone brilliantly into the apartment, illuminating Makoto’s features in a way that could only be described as perfect. Half of his face was highlighted by the dim yellow light on the patio, which was inconvenient most of the time. However Byakuya was grateful for the annoyance of having the light shine inside of his apartment, the scene it was creating was truly something incredible. The other half of Makoto’s face was shadowed, nearly invisible from the lack of lighting from any other sources. He had been gazing at the city from his chair, waiting patiently as Byakuya prepared tea for the both of them. Makoto had a permanent grin on his face, it was as if someone carefully plotted every curve of his face to ensure that smile was always present. It was almost embarrassing for Byakuya to admit he was gawking so plainly at someone he had over time began to call his friend. 

That title however would only be uttered in the presence of Makoto, it made Byakuya much too flustered to repeat anywhere else. It was the most appropriate way of describing their relationship, seeing as they spent almost all of their free time together. Although the label never felt quite right, it almost seemed off to describe their connection in such a way. 

Byakuya’s mind seemed to be occupied by Makoto whenever his thoughts weren’t on the novel he was reading or the company he would soon inherit. Whether it be his smile, the sound of his laugh ringing in Byakuya’s ears or the way he puffed out his cheeks when he was frustrated, Makoto was almost always present. His energy always seemed to linger, even after he had left Byakuya’s side. The nights they spent talking about nothing at all until the sun came up were becoming more important to him, they were soon a regular occurrence. Byakuya knew the nature of his feelings toward Makoto when he brought the spare blanket he had let the other boy borrow up to his nose, and inhaled slowly. The scent was warm, inviting. It smelled or Makoto’s cologne he used sparingly, always paranoid it would smell too strong. He could remember a sort of snap in his mindset, immediately throwing the blanket aside. It took Byakuya quite a long time to come to terms with the fact that his feelings were only growing stronger as he spent more time around him. Nights like these were common, and as the kettle finally boiled, Makoto seemed to come out of his daze.

The boy dropped his jaw into a yawn, letting out a small sigh as he turned his attention toward Byakuya once again. Byakuya immediately snapped his eyes away, turning his attention to the teabags he had set aside for whenever Makoto decided to pay him a visit. Which was almost every night at that point, it was almost as if they lived together. God forbid he ever caught Byakuya eyeballing him like a complete idiot. As he poured the tea, Byakuya handed Makoto his mug before taking a seat across from him. Makoto accepted it graciously, whispering a small “thank you” before blowing on his drink. 

“Hey,” Makoto started, carefully taking a sip of his tea after cooling it.

“I bought some of that tea you mentioned the other day for the next time you come over!”

Byakuya set his own mug aside to cool, almost stumbling when he heard Makoto. It wasn’t out of character for him, yet it still never failed to catch Byakuya completely off guard. Makoto was a fantastic listener, much to his surprise. He didn’t think anyone really gave much care to trivial things such as the kind of tea he likes. Byakuya remembered mentioning that he enjoyed mechanical pencils over wooden ones, only to be given a brand new pack of them a week later. When he asked Makoto how on earth he would remember something so insignificant, he shrugged and told him it was simply because he cared. It was relieving to know Byakuya wasn’t the only one taking mental tabs, his own list of minor things to remember was a little different. He couldn’t place the exact moment when he started to memorize Makoto’s favourite.. everything, but Byakuya had begun to pick things up along the way. Even so, when it was someone else remembering silly little things about him, he almost felt vulnerable. Maybe he had a tendency to overthink, and Makoto only remembered things like what sort of tea he liked. 

But that wasn’t true either, Makoto kept note of everything Byakuya was passionate about. 

“Earl grey?” Byakuya cocked a brow, crossing one of his legs over the other.

“You hate earl grey.” 

Makoto seemed to shuffle a little in his place, still wearing that golden smile of his. “I might not like it, but I know you do. All my teas are the sweet ones you don’t like, I thought I should have at least one you’ll drink.” 

Byakuya smiled warmly, reaching for his mug he had set to the side. Makoto’s little gestures made his heart flutter, but he had become quite familiar with hiding it. Wrapping his fingers around the handle, he gently brought the drink up to his lips before replying. 

“You’re always going out of your way to do these things for me, I sincerely hope you know that I’m grateful for them.” Byakuya said earnestly, holding eye contact.

Makoto was mesmerizing, being hit by the city lights. The contrast between the yellow ray shining inside and the deep navy sky spotted with stars was something Byakuya loved about living in the city. Especially when that contrast was displayed on objects in his home, or people. You could count each individual freckle on Makoto’s face in the light, or at least on one side. That shadow was still being cast on the other side of him, shifting every so often as Makoto changed his position. Byakuya observed as the boy across from him let one leg drop to the floor, the other still being comfortably laid across the chair. Makoto never stayed in one fixed position for too long, Byakuya wondered how he could remain so hypnotic no matter which way he situated himself. Him and Makoto would often sit apart like this, observing the other as they spoke. The length of their conversations often was measured by how quickly the sun went down, feeling like their interaction was the only event occurring on earth. Time stopped with Makoto, the only thing that ever mattered was being in the other’s presence. Makoto unknowingly helped Byakuya pull his head out of the past, and seize his worries about the future. The present was such a wonderful thing to cherish, and moments like those allowed his head to be clouded with the bliss of now. 

“There’s no need for that, I promise! I guess you could consider it a thank you for having me over all the time.” 

“I enjoy having you over like this.” Byakuya replied honestly, taking another sip of his tea. He took note of the way his heart began to speed up like it usually did when the two of them expressed their gratitude like this. Byakuya’s most notable symptom however was the intense feeling in his stomach. The most accurate way to express it would be butterflies, no matter how cliche it may have sounded. 

“You’ve come a long way since I first met you,” Makoto started, wrapping both of his hands around his mug. 

“But you’re you’re still you.” 

Byakuya raised a brow, intrigued by the subtext of his statement. 

“Well now you _have_ to tell me what that means.” 

Makoto laughed a little, setting his mug aside once more. The boy clasped his hands neatly in front of him, presumably trying to find the right words to express his point. Byakuya naturally had a curious mind, but when it came to Makoto and his thoughts, his inquisitive nature seemed to heighten. He enjoyed listening to Makoto, his thought process was incredibly optimistic and notably intelligent. Byakuya always gave him a chance to speak freely, and Makoto always lit up every time he realized that he could ramble on with no judgement. Byakuya wasn’t exactly the kindest soul at first, however things changed quickly with Makoto. Their conversations were always meaningful, Byakuya always walked away with a phrase or two lingering in his mind. To hear him elaborate on his thoughts was a privilege, one Byakuya was unbelievably grateful for. 

“You’ve come so far, but you never lost yourself. You’re the same person you always were, but you’ve changed for the better too!” 

Byakuya couldn’t help but take note of the growing warmth in his chest. It was such a genuine, earnest compliment from someone he had come to think very highly of. Not that he could find the right way of expressing it quite yet, but that time would most certainly come. He was curious as to where Makoto’s thought process stemmed from, letting his mind wander as he adjusted his glasses. 

“Could you be any more vague?” 

This earned a giggle from Makoto, his laughter echoing throughout the rather large apartment. Byakuya reached into his pocket for his phone, the two of them usually had some sort of music in the background when they spent time together like this. 

“That, what you just said.”

He paused for a moment, placing his phone face up on his lap.

“Hm?”

“You’re still blunt and straightforward, but not in a bad way! It’s kind of charming, actually.” 

Byakuya opted for fixing his gaze on his phone, not quite able to meet Makoto’s eyes after what he just said. Charming? The feeling beginning to bubble to the surface was something Byakuya had been suppressing for quite a long time, and it was becoming harder to control as time passed. To be able to properly vocalize the way his mind danced around the idea of taking Makoto in his arms would be a miracle. Byakuya Togami didn’t stumble, although he wasn’t certain he would be able to string together the right words to express just what he had been feeling. He wondered if his thoughts would come out jumbled, there were too many he could have confessed. But what was there to confess? The ludicrous habit of Byakuya stretching his arms out to the other side of his bed, almost wishing Makoto were there? The way Byakuya became ridiculously distracted from whatever task he needed to complete because he was always too busy looping their past conversations in his head? To confess would be nonsensical... at least in Byakuya’s mind. As he finally got to the playlist he had crafted for these nights, Byakuya promptly shut off his phone and let the music play.

“Well,” he started, placing his phone on the table beside them.

“I’m glad that you find me so captivating.” Byakuya wore a smirk, it was a much better reaction than whatever embarrassed expression he had to stop himself from showing. 

Makoto’s jaw dropped momentarily before he immediately shut his mouth again. This led to a series of baffled expressions, all of them sharing some sort of baffled smile.

“I would normally tell you not to flatter yourself!” Makoto sputtered, taking a sip of his tea. 

“But?” 

“But unfortunately it’s true.”

“Unfortunately for who?” Byakuya quipped, pushing his luck as always.

He could’ve sworn he saw Makoto’s eyes roll all the way back into his skull, smile unwavering. The two of them could go back and forth like this for hours, it was one of Byakuya’s favourite parts of their relationship. Whatever banter they shared would never fizzle out, it would go on until the both of them were stumped. Makoto could keep him on his toes, he was one of few people that Byakuya couldn’t predict the next reaction from. Their connection was ever-changing, in all aspects. Switching from different topics to discuss, places to visit or things to do, there was never a dull moment. And even if there was something particularly tedious the two of them had to do, their time spent together was mellow. Byakuya was content simply sitting in the same room as Makoto, enjoying his company. Although their silences were comfortable, the two of them always found some way to interact. Makoto’s presence was diverse, bringing a plethora of different emotions to the forefront. One consistent theme however; the emotions were always positive. 

“For me, you’re such a smartass! I give you one compliment and you run with it!” 

Byakuya laughed loudly at that remark, he was absolutely right. As opposed to flushing wildly, he figured he would reply like he usually did. However Byakuya was past the point of becoming embarrassed,

he was more so attempting to shield whatever sappy inner dialogue was trying to surface. 

“How could I possibly give up an opportunity like that?” 

“Well, I guess you’re right.” Makoto laughed a little as he sighed.

Their interactions were always so comfortable, him and Makoto had found their own ways to thank each other. Although Byakuya’s way of expressing appreciation was rather unconventional and came in the form of quick remarks, but Makoto understood. It would be far too cliche to call in their own language, but they most certainly both had an understanding of what the other was saying, if not outright stating it. 

“Do you want some more?” Byakuya asked, lazily gesturing towards Makoto’s now empty mug.

Makoto’s brows raised instinctively before he realized what Byakuya meant, leaning over to reach for the mug.

“Here, I’ve got it.” 

Byakuya swiftly stood from his chair, taking a few steps over to where Makoto was sitting. As he reached just past the boy for his mug, he noticed the shift in lighting. Makoto’s face was shadowed almost completely, his chin and bottom lip being the only thing the patio light seemed to catch. Byakuya seemed to have blocked out anything else, yet that didn’t seem like much of a problem. The two of them let their eyes drift, the contact lasting momentarily. Makoto’s eyes were barely visible from the shadow, but his slightly parted lips gave his bemused expression away. The two of them remained in that position for a few seconds longer than expected, Byakuya taking his sweet time reaching for the mug. It was if the world had stopped, their faces being dangerously close seemed to be the only thing worth noting. Makoto blinked a few times, his chest rising and falling at the same speed Byakuya’s was. As Byakuya felt the handle of Makoto’s mug in his hands, he slowly drew away. He made his way over to the kettle, flipping the switch to let it boil once again. 

Byakuya turned back towards Makoto, who was once again lit up wonderfully. He was gazing out the window with the same look in his eyes from earlier. There was something so welcoming about seeing Makoto in his home, like he was supposed to be there. 

The kettle boiled a lot quicker this time around, the noise of bubbling water slowly dying down in favour of a few footsteps. As Byakuya finished topping up Makoto’s mug, he saw the boy walking towards the washroom. He hadn’t bothered to turn any lights on, the dim glow from the kitchen paired with the beaming ray from the patio seemed to light the way enough.

“I assumed you would turn the hall light on,” Byakuya called, turning around as he placed a hand on his hip.

“You’ve never liked the dark.”

“Maybe not,” 

Makoto flipped the light switch to the bathroom, his entire face now being visible, albeit from a small distance.

“But I feel safe with you.” 

As he shut the bathroom door, Byakuya didn’t think his heart could flutter any more than it already was. That was the only way to describe what was happening to him, the blissful haze overtaking Byakuya almost completely. He couldn’t understand exactly why the comment made him feel so.. whole. Of course he was whole on his own, but hearing something like that made quite a few things click. He didn’t like to be away from Makoto for too long. As the two of them continued to grow closer, Byakuya started to notice how much he loathed the boy’s absence. He enjoyed being alone, Byakuya found solace in the quiet. However long periods of time without being able to interact with Makoto created such a strange, uncomfortable atmosphere. Byakuya could go without him, but he didn’t _want_ to. The thought of not being able to see Makoto made him sick, but it wasn’t as if that was something he needed to worry about regardless. Nowadays, they were always together. And when they were enjoying each other’s company, Makoto felt a sense of security. And that fact made Byakuya’s smile more genuine than it had been in far too long. 

Come to think of it, Byakuya had been subjected to a massive pile of recently found emotions as well. With Makoto there were too many feelings to pick out individually, but without him was a different story. All Byakuya could think of when Makoto was absent for long periods of time was how utterly homesick he felt. He missed their routines they had built up over time, how their nights spent together would gradually put him to sleep as opposed to drain him completely. How natural it felt to cook with someone by your side, and eat together afterwards. Makoto was over so often that it eventually became Byakuya’s normal. It was standard to see Makoto drowsily rub his eyes in the morning and shuffle towards the coffee machine before the two of them ran off to attend whatever class they had. There were obviously nights where Makoto didn’t stay over, and yet they felt so empty. There was something so oddly wrong about not seeing someone walk out of the guest room to greet him. Or not having to wake Makoto up himself. Makoto in a way had become his home. 

As Makoto stepped out of the bathroom, Byakuya managed to shake a few of the thoughts out of his head before returning to his original spot in the living room. Him and Makoto met in the middle, Byakuya handing him his mug.

“Did you have any plans for this weekend?” Byakuya asked, leaning back into his chair.

“No, I actually don’t know what I’m going to do! I don’t have any assignments to work on, which never happens.” Makoto followed suit, curling back up into his original spot in the chair.

Byakuya laughed a little at the thought of Makoto not having any work to do the coming weekend, he knew the boy was a terrible procrastinator. Always leaving his work until Sunday evening, when everything was due. Byakuya often scolded him for putting the work aside until the last minute, but Makoto always managed to pull through. 

“I’m not inclined to believe you.” 

Makoto’s eyes shot to his own, a smile forming once again.

“No I’m serious! I took your advice and split everything into sections. Now I don’t have anything to stress over.” 

“Are you going to continue splitting everything up from here on out?” 

A brief silence fell between them, Makoto chewing on his bottom lip as he broke eye contact.

“Yes.” 

Byakuya had an outburst of laughter, happening too quickly for him to try and stop it. He immediately covered his mouth with his hand, leaning forward. Byakuya shut his eyes as he heard Makoto laughing as well. The two of them sat there, shuffling slightly from trying to contain themselves. Byakuya instantaneously understood Makoto’s remark earlier as he giggled like a child. He felt safe enough to express himself. Although the two of them holding their sides from laughter wasn’t uncommon, Byakuya never realized its significance until then. Maybe it wasn’t just an overall sense of security, it was also having someone he trusted enough to show that side of him to. His smile was awfully vulnerable, his true smile that is. It was soothing to know that Byakuya didn’t always have to be corporate perfection. He was a relatively sophisticated person, but he had a place to let go. Makoto seemed to be a safe space of sorts, someone he felt comfortable enough around to be himself. He would have to thank the boy at some point. 

“You are the worst liar I have ever seen.” 

“Okay maybe I won’t keep that habit for good, but I’ll still do it sometimes!” 

Byakuya used his ring finger to adjust his eyeglasses, returning to his previous sitting position. He found his cheeks to be sore from the giddy smiling, but that certainly wasn’t a bad thing. Makoto wrapped his hands around the mug, as if to warm them up. His expression could only be described as benevolent, although he looked like he was waiting to say something. Or maybe he couldn’t find the right words. 

“I think your method was better, but now I don’t have anything to do this weekend.” 

“I was actually going to ask you if you wanted to spend the weekend here.” Byakuya practically blurted the beginning of his sentence, but spoke a little slower as he realized just how quickly his words came out.

He hoped to god he didn’t sound like an idiot.

“You’d really have me over for that long? Are you sure?” Makoto beamed, much to Byakuya’s delight. His tone was excited, Makoto’s expression definitely matching the enthusiasm in his voice. 

There were a few tasks Byakuya would need to take care of before Makoto could spend the weekend at his apartment, but that isn’t to say they would be a pain. Makoto was sleeping over on the regular by then, which was something Byakuya considered quite pleasant. Mornings spent with someone like him always seemed to set the tone for the day. And if unfortunately Byakuya’s day didn’t go quite as planned, chances are Makoto was by his side. Aside from the boy being someone Byakuya could lean on at times, he had grown to appreciate every aspect of not only him, but the feeling of living with him as well. Tedious chores being completed by the both of them felt much lighter, and the atmosphere seemed to lift. It was so natural to see Makoto on a chair somewhere in the living room, casually peering out the window or waiting patiently for Byakuya to return with whatever drinks he had made for the two of them. Realistically, inviting Makoto who had no plans to stay over for the weekend was the perfect excuse to spend time with him for a little longer than Byakuya normally would. 

“I’m positive. Does tomorrow evening to Sunday sound alright for you?” 

Makoto sighed gently before replying, the one side of his face that was visible showcasing a slight flush in his cheeks.

“That sounds great, thank you for inviting me!” 

Byakuya’s mind began to whirl much faster than anything he could keep up with. He thought of how they would spend their days, there were a million different places he could take Makoto. The restaurant that opened up across the street, the coffee shop the two of them occasionally stopped by in the mornings, or maybe somewhere out of town. Byakuya would need to make sure Makoto ate well, he obviously wouldn’t let him rely on tea for the weekend. Cooking together was nothing new, and something the both of them enjoyed. Byakuya would be content doing nothing at all, it would be perfect if Makoto was there with him.

“It’s no trouble, I’m looking forward to having you here for longer than usual.”

He mentally kicked himself for saying something so outright, stiffening as he waited for Makoto’s reaction. It was unlike him to say such sentimental things, but he found that night to be a particularly difficult one to hold himself back. The words fell out before Byakuya could catch them, it was nothing short of humiliating. He couldn’t help but wonder if Makoto thought he was a babbling idiot, although his few impulsive compliments throughout the night and the past few months had always gone over well. 

“That’s definitely good to hear, I was going to ask you if you would be able to be around me for that long.” Makoto chuckled, putting a hand behind his head as he spoke.

“What makes you think I wouldn’t want you around?”

The words came out nosier than he meant them to, however Makoto seemed to have understood what he meant. Byakuya was relieved to have such a good understanding between the two of them, having spent so much time together. 

“It’s not that at all, I just think that I might bore you!” 

That comment caused Byakuya to sit upright in his chair, frowning as he watched Makoto shift under his gaze. Had he thought Byakuya was bored by him? 

“I have never thought of your company as boring, quite the opposite actually.”

Byakuya paused for a moment before continuing. He knew for a fact that if he let himself speak honestly, he would end up saying much more than he originally intended. His point was to make sure Makoto wasn’t in the mindset that he was bad company, yet it seemed to become increasingly more difficult to hold himself back. As Byakuya weighed the possible outcomes, a sudden realization stopped his train of thought. Why had he been holding himself back? Fear was most likely the root, he simply didn’t want to lose Makoto. Maybe he was worried that he would scare the boy away with his useless ramblings that would eventually turn into a confession at some point. But no matter how many times a compliment slipped from Byakuya’s mouth, it had been received warmly. More than warmly even, they would either end up bantering or Makoto would thank him sincerely. That unlocked a rather dangerous idea; there was a small chance Makoto felt the same. 

“Really? I know that might be a stupid question, and I should already know since we spend so much time together and-“

“Makoto.” 

Maybe it wasn’t such a dangerous thought after all. 

“You have my word, your company is always pleasant. I have you over this often for a reason. I’d be satisfied sitting in silence so long as you were beside me.” 

More and more was starting to slip out, Byakuya couldn’t deny it was a rather frightening experience to have his vulnerable thoughts be out in the open like that. But if were anyone else, Byakuya wouldn’t allow it to happen. He chose Makoto for a wide variety of reasons, the most prominent being the wave of emotions he had been shoving to the back of his mind for much longer than he should have. Makoto had taught him what it felt like to truly care for someone, and over time Byakuya felt the need to make him happy. And fortunately for him, Makoto smiled frequently when the two of them were together. Byakuya wanted to make him as happy as possible, just as Makoto had done for him. Every small gesture, every topic he’s listened to Byakuya discuss and every night spent talking until the sun rose was important. Makoto always stood his ground, and put Byakuya in his place when he needed it most. The two of them worked perfectly together, providing whatever the other needed. Byakuya learning when he needed to take a break was because of Makoto’s encouragement. The good things in his life and the changes within himself were because of his own determination, paired with the much needed reinforcement from someone he held in high regard. Makoto was pure good, and continued to bring light to the dullest of situations. 

“I’m glad.” Makoto’s smile slowly returned to his lips.

The moment between the two of them was meaningful in a way Byakuya couldn’t place just yet. He always meant what he said, and he had a feeling Makoto knew that fact very well by then. When the boy had vented to him, he had a tendency to quicken his speech because there were so many thoughts tumbling out at once. Byakuya had picked up on that, and gently paused his spiral. And eventually with reassurance, he put it to a stop. It was an ability Byakuya found to be quite important, and he was slowly becoming better at calming whatever thoughts Makoto was having down.

“I feel the same, of course. I like just.. being with you. I was starting to get a little worried that you would rather go out and do things instead, but I’m glad you like this too.” Makoto’s tone was genuine, his face becoming fully visible as he shifted into a different position. 

And what a marvellous thing it was to be able to see Makoto’s expression. 

Byakuya was too far gone to stop himself at that point, pushing aside his Togami pride to let his true feelings come out for once. It was almost as if Makoto’s optimism had spread to him somehow, Byakuya couldn’t fathom having a positive outlook on a situation he would usually scoff at. For the first time in years, Byakuya’s heart agreed with his head. He wondered how his logical side could possibly be aligned with the plan beginning to form in his head as well, but the surge of hope wasn’t easily blocked. Standing up, Byakuya took a few steps towards Makoto’s chair. The boy’s smile faded in favour of a perplexed, yet eager expression. He watched as Makoto carefully placed his mug on the table beside them, sitting up a little straighter as he did so. Byakuya seemed to have things all figured out... right until he needed to say something. There were so many different thoughts racing through his mind, his heart began to beat rapidly in his chest and he hoped to god the quickened pace of his breathing wasn’t noticeable. Byakuya was standing over Makoto, who was looking straight back up at him wondering what the hell he was going to do. 

Might as well not keep him waiting any longer.

Using the armrests on Makoto’s chair for balance, Byakuya leaned down toward Makoto.

And then he stopped. 

Why did then of all times have to be the moment Byakuya realized what he was doing? He had barely even confessed, if you could even call it that. All he had done was reassure Makoto that he enjoyed his company... he had yet to inform him of the countless hours of yearning Byakuya was keeping to himself. Makoto was too important to him to give an impulsive rundown of what he felt. Although, being inches from Makoto’s face was so right. Byakuya’s body has acted on its own, leaning closer with each second. Makoto’s lips parted slightly, he could feel the small puffs of air coming out of them. Leaning in just might have been the right choice. Byakuya’s eyes fluttered open and shut a few times as he fully processed the situation. He shifted his gaze to meet Makoto’s for a moment, and was met with a pair of cloudy, viridescent eyes staring straight back at him. The last thing he saw before the gap closed was Makoto’s brief smile. 

So much for Byakuya being the one to initiate things.

Byakuya became hyperaware of the way everything felt, most notably the warmth in his cheeks. Their lips barely touched at first, merely brushing against each other as Byakuya finally decided to take the leap. He inhaled has he cautiously placed his hand on Makoto’s cheek, testing the waters. Makoto seemed to have taken the hint, opening his mouth slightly to give Byakuya more access. As the two melted into each other, all of Byakuya’s previous doubts seem to fade. The months of staring for a little too long, pushing his luck a little further and falling a little too hard, the silent fondness had gone both ways. Kissing Makoto was opening himself up after all that time. His days of being closed off and aloof to anything that moved were certainly over. As his hand moved its way into Makoto’s hair, he took note of how soft it was. Byakuya would slowly learn little characteristics such as that as the two of them continued their relationship. What that would look like, Byakuya wasn’t sure. All he knew was that whatever they were doing, it was bound to provide him with the same warm feeling that had been building up.

Byakuya was the one to pull away, although dubiously. With one hand still leaning on the armrest, the other remained running through Makoto’s hair. The boy looked up at him, face lit up by the patio light once more. He was breathtaking, completely bewildered expression on full display.

“I’ve been waiting so long for that.” Makoto murmured, presumably still in a daze. However it wasn’t as if Byakuya could say anything different for himself, the entire world seeming the fade away as their lips connected. 

“Likewise.” Byakuya replied, placing his hand on the back of Makoto’s neck.

They remained in this position momentarily, Byakuya gently massaging Makoto’s scalp. He only then became aware of the smile on his lips, Byakuya must have appeared to have gone completely soft. However, that wasn’t very far from the truth. Their brief moment ended with Makoto planting his feet on the ground, and standing from his spot. Before Byakuya could ask what he was doing, Makoto wrapped his arms around Byakuya’s waist. He subsequently pressed his face into Byakuya’s chest, sighing deeply as he fixed himself in the new position. Byakuya was far too content to be caught off guard by the action, enveloping Makoto completely. He gently rested his chin on the top of Makoto’s head, praying the boy wouldn’t notice the rapid beating of his heart. Yet it seemed to be pretty much inevitable that the thumping in his chest would become obvious. Byakuya had the person in his arms that he had been quietly hoping for from afar. Happy was too juvenile of a term to truly describe the feeling that overtook him. Byakuya was safe, understood, cared for. It was awfully peculiar to be touched so affectionately, but there was still an unbelievable amount of new, wonderful things to experience. 

The change in their dynamic was good, Byakuya was certain of that. He was welcome to be himself. 

“Thank you for inviting me over.” Makoto whispered, peering up at him.

Byakuya smiled, for the millionth time that night.

“Would it be foolish to say I don’t want you to leave?”

Makoto returned the grin, light chuckle giving the air a tender feeling. 

“I don’t think so.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any thoughts on this, please comment them! Thank you so much for reading, I hope you all have a wonderful day! 💕


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